The paper deals with some aspects of production and perception of yes-no questions and non-final clauses in Dutch. The analysis of the prosodic characteristics of naturally produced utterances and the subjects’ responses obtained in the course a series of perception experiments with naturally produced and modified utterances yielded the following conclusions: · the identification of utterance type is to the largest extent determined by the presence of relevant prosodic cues in the nuclear accent · cues to utterance type in the pre-nuclear pattern appear to be used by listeners when the nuclear accent type allows of several possible interpretations · timing of the nuclear accent may be considered a relevant cue to utterance type, «early» vs. «late» rise accounting for «non-final» vs. «interrogative» preferences, «early» vs. «late» fall eliciting «statement» vs. «question/statement» reactions.